Time announcer



Nov. 12, 1935. E, P. cosGRovE 2,020,457

TIME ANNoUNcER Filed oct. :51. lss

Patented Nov. v12V, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a time announceradapted for use particularly for announcing the time at variousintervals and is so constructed and arranged as to announce the hour andsuch fractions of theV hour as may be determined upon.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanical means of timeannouncing at pre-determined times, whereby the correct and acculO ratetime may be automatically and mechanically announced so as to dispensewith the necessity of vocal announcement, and so as to eliminate Vtheexpense incident to vocal announcement. Y

It is another object o-f the present invention l5 to provide a mechanismwhereby a part Yof the mechanism may be utilized for a period of onehour in order to effectY the announcing of the fractional parts of thehour at intervals and cooperate with such mechanism that during thespace of time between the intervals of announcement, the mechanism, whencompleting the operation of one hour, will return to its initial orstarting position, so that no interruption in the periodic announcementsmay be had.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism wherebya photo-cell may be utilized in affecting the announcements, both of thehour and of the fractional parts of the hour.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a mechanism of thisclass of a pair of rotating parts, so co-ordinated as to each other andas to time that the various parts will be in the proper operativeposition at the periodic intervals of time which are to be announced.

i Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisclass which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture,durable and highly efficient in use and compact.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and.

arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will best be understood by a reference to the accompanyingdrawing which forms 4.5 a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. l is a top lplan view of the invention with parts removed and partsshown in section, this gure being taken on substantially line I l ofFig. 2.V

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional'view taken Fig. 5 is a fragmentarysectional view taken o-n line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5 with partsremoved.

Fig. 'lY is a fragmentary sectional view taken 5 on line 1 1 of Fig. 2.Y

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of a socket Ahousing used in the invention.

. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. l0`

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view taken on `line I0 I0 of Fig. 2.

The invention is primarily adapted for use in performing the function oftime announcers which are now employed in many telephone of- 15 fices.Under this system of time announcing, a party calling into the centraloice requesting the time is connected with a transmitter in a room inwhich a gong is sounded at periodic intervals, these intervals beingpreferably fifteen 20 second intervals. When the request for the time ismade and theconnection to the announcing room isreifected, the personvocally announcing the time will announce that at the next sounding ofthe gong the time willbe a certain hour 2.5

a certain number of minutes and a certain number of seconds. Thisoperation is carried on throughout the entire day, and the presentmechanism is specifically adapted for making such announcements. Whenthe announcements are 30 made vocally it is evident that proper reliefsof the employees must be provided at short periods of time, so thatconsiderable expense is entailed because of the number of employeesengaged in such announcing. With the present mechanism, 35

the announcing is automatically and mechani cally taken care of.

In the invention, I provide a base l5, on which is attached a suitablebearing I6, for a vertically extending shaft I1. This shaft l1 projects40 through the gear box I8 and through the drum base Yl 9. In the gearbox or housing i8 is a worm 20 xedly mounted on the shaft 2|, which isdriven by the pair of motors 22 and 23. This worm 20 meshes with theworm wheel 24 which 45 Y is fxedly mounted on the shaft l1. Projectingupwardly from the base 25 and preferably formed integral therewith, arethe standards or suplOQrts 26, which are positioned preferably atdiametrically opposite sides. Connected to and carried 50 by thesupports 26 is a ring 21 which serves to Y cooperate with a ring 28 toform a ball race for retention ofthe roller bearings or balls 29. Theshaft I1 is keyed by the key I1' to the base I9. A

ball race for the retention of the balls 32 is pro-V 55 vided by therings 30 and 3|, one of which is-secured to the gearing housing |8 andthe other of which is secured to the under-surface of the base 25,

The base 25 forms a base for a drum which is open at its upper end andthe cylindrical portion o1" which is formed from a pair ofsemi-cylindrical sections. I prefer this form of construction, althoughit Will be obvious that the cylindrical portion of the drum may beformed from as many sections as desired. Each of these sections consistsof an outer glass portion 35, and an inner glass portion 34, and securedto, or clamped by the same, is a film strip 36 on which sound recordingsfor electrical reproduction have been made. The edges of these sectionsengage vin channel 33, formed in the uprights or standards 26. The upperportion 31 of the film may be separate from the lower portion; but inany event the recordings differ from the recordings on the lowerportion. These recordings on the nlm beginning from the bottom andextending to the lower edges of the strip 31 are progressive in spiralarrangement about the drum. 'I'he recordings on the upper strip are notspirally arranged, but consist preferably of |2 separate sections, eachsection corresponding to one of the hours of a day. The recordings onthe lower section or lower lm correspond to the various minutes andfractional parts of a minute or an hour, so that the reproducing devicemay be operatively associated with the recordings on the lower portionof the drum for a period of one hour upon which the o-perating mechanismmay be returned to its initial or starting position.

The shaft |1 projects rotatably through an arm 38, which extendsradially outwardly from the lower end thereof within the drum.Projecting upwardly from this arm 38 are the spaced guide rods 39 whichalso project through a carriage 40 on which is mounted a photo-cell 4|which is connected by a pair of wires 42 to an amplier or soundreproducing mechanism. Secured to the carriage 40 and projectingupwardly therefrom are lift rods 43, which are connected to the plate44. 'Ihis plate 44, is connected exterior of the drum, by means of thelift rods 45, with a carriage 46. This carriage 46 is provided at itsopposite sides with the recesses 41, in which engage, and which serve toembrace, the vertically extending channel members 48 and 49 which serveas supports and guides.

Mounted on the carriage 46 is an optical tube 11', Suitably mounted onthis carriage 46 also is an exciter lamp |05. The optical tube 11 andthe exciter lamp |05 are so located relatively to the photo cell 4| thatthe rays of light from the exciter lamp |05 will pass through theoptical tube 11 and after passing through the portion of they film 36 inalignment therewith, and the glass portions 34 and 35 of the drum willstrike the photo cell 4|.

Fixedly mounted on the rod 45 is a pawl carrying bracket 50, on which isrockably mounted the pawl 5|, which is normally held by the spring 52 inposition for engagement with the ratchet wheel 53 which is xedly mountedon the shaft 54. This shaft 54 is journaled in the bearing 55 mounted onthe channel member 49. The construction is such that if the bracket 50moves upwardly, the pawl 5| will ride over the ratchet wheel 53, withoutrotating the same and when the bracket 50 moves downwardly the pawlwill, through engagement with the ratchet wheel, effect a rotation ofthe same a pre-determined portion of a revolution.

The shaft 54, projects into the housing 56, which is mounted by thebrackets 51 and 58 on the channel supporting member 49. Fixedly 5mounted on the shaft 54 within the housing 56, is a helical gear 59,which meshes with a helical gear 60 Xedly mounted on the shaft 6|. Thisshaft 6|, carries an enlarged cylinder 62, having a peripheral spirallydirected cam forming groove 10 69 formed therein, in which engages theouter end of `a stud 64 projecting outwardly from the stem 65. This stem65 engages in a socket 66, having a bleed opening 61 formed therein sothat there is an air cushion engageable with the end 15 of the stem 65.This stem 65, projects from the base 61 of a carriage which serves tocarry the exciter light 68. Projecting upwardly from the carriage 61 andpreferably formed integral therewith is the bar 69, having the angularlyturned 20 horizontally disposed part 10 which extends over the upperedge of the drum, and is provided with the downwardly projecting portion1|, carrying the base 12 on which is mounted the photo-cell 13.Projecting upwardly from the base 12 is a 25 shield 14 in which isformed an opening 15 in alignment with the opening 16. An optical tube11 is in alignment with the openings 15 and 16 and the exciter lamp 68so that the rays of light from the exciter lamp 68 pass through theoptical 30 tube 11, the opening 16, the portion of the nlm in alignmenttherewith on the upper section of the drum and thence through theopening 15 to the photo-cell-13.

Adjacent the base |5 I provide a base 18 on 35 which is positioned agear housing 19 and in which is located a worm wheel 80, which is xedlymounted on the shaft 8|, journaled in the part 82 and in the bracket 86.A drum 83 is xedly mounted on the shaft 8| carrying a spiral cam 84 40engaging with which is a stud 85 projecting outwardly from the carriage46. This gear 80 is rotated by means of a worm 81 on the shaft 88 whichprojects into the gear housing I8, and is provided with a gear 89meshing with the gear 90 45 which is xedly mounted on the shaft |1.Through this connection the drum 83 and the drum having the base 25 arerotated in unison with each other and at a co-ordinated relativ speed ofrotation. 50

The lamps and photocells are mounted on a suitable support carried onthe carriages. The socket 94, which supports the lights is looselypositioned within a frame 9|. This frame 9| is fixed to the carriagewith which it is associated 55 by set screws 93. The set screws 92serves as a means for adjusting the position of the socket in the frame9|, so that the position of the light bulbs might be properly determinedfor focusing purposes and for alignment with the optical tubes 60 11 and11.

A stem 95 projects downwardly from the carriage 46 and engages in thesocket 96 formed in the support 91. This engagement in the socket is asnug one so that an air cushion is provided. A suitable bleed opening96' communicates with the socket 96. This carriage 46 is recessed at itsopposite ends as at 98 to embrace the channel uprights or standards 48and 49 and slide thereon. 7

The ring 28 serves as a support for the ring 43 which is provided withthe webs 43, through which the shaft |1 rotatably projects. Aperipheralprojection |0| is formed on the ring 43 and projects so as toextend between the channel 75 members 48 and 49 so that a rotation ofthe ring 43' is prevented. l

When the device has been assembled as described the lm inthe drumsections will be properly located, the portion 31 of the lm carrying therecordings for the announcements at periodic intervals. These recordingswill consist of twelve rows, one row for each hour. The lower portion ofthe lm will bear recordings as previously mentioned to announcevthevarious minutes and fractional parts thereof. The exciter light of thephoto-cell must be properly electrically connected; and the device maythen be operated. The device is geared to rotate at a pre-determinedspeed so that each of the drums 83 and the drum formed from the sections34 and 35 Will make a complete revolution in one hour. When the motors22 and 23 are set into operation each of the drums will rotate, and asthe light from the exciter lamps 63 and it passes through the glassdrum, and through the proper portion of the film the photo-cells will beaffected to bring about the sound reproduction desired. The photo-cell'i3 will be acted upon by the upper portion 37, of the film so thatduring the comple-te rotation of the drum, a certain, hour will beannounced, this announcement being repeated at pre-determined intervals.When a complete revolution has been effected because of the engagementof the stud 85 in the cam groove 84, the carriage will have been raiseda distance sufcientto bring the light 68 and photocell 13 into alignmentwith the next row of film on which the succeeding hour has been recordedfor announcement. When the rotation begins, the drum 83 will be rotated,and the cam 84, through engagement with the stud 35, will cause thecarriage it to move upwardly. The carriages d and 4G move in unison witheach other because of their connection through the lift rods 45, bar 44,and the lift rods 43. This upward movement of the photocell il and lightlll is constant so that as the film bearing drum' rotates a new portionof the film is brought into position for use and the succeeding minutesand succeeding fractional parts of the minutes are thus announcedthrough the actuation of the photo-cell 4I. `The arrangement is suchthat when a complete revolution has been effected the carriages 46 and4i) are therefore moved to their uppermost. position and the stud 85will have ridden into the axially directed peripheral groove lilo, thuspermitting the carriages @6 and 4E! to move downwardly by gravity. Thereis an interval of several seconds between each audible announcement, andthis interval is sufficient time to permit these carriages to move fromtheir uppermost to their lowermost positions by gravity. Consequently,when the light m5 and photocell il have moved to their lowermostpositions the operation' is repeated. In this downward movement thebracket 5i] will be moved downwardly and the pawl 5l will engage one ofthe teeth of the ratchet wheel 53 and eect a rotation of the cylinderSZsufficiently to elevate the light t8 and photocell 13 to the properposition for the next step of operation. When the carriage 5l has beenmoved to its uppermost position so that the upper strip of nlm on theportion 3l has been used the stud 6d will ride into the peripheralgroove IEE which is formed in the cylinder G2 and the carriage '6l willmove downwardly by gravity to its initial starting position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an apparatus whereby separatestrips of film will co-ordinate in the announcement of periods of time,in which the hour, the minute, and the fractional parts may be audiblyannounced. The mechanism is such, that when properly timed and in properworking condition this audible. an- H5 nouncement Will continueindenitely. It is, of course, believed obvious that in the use of this.mechanism the sounding of the gong, at alocation where the Vsame wouldbe audible to the sound receiving apparatus which receives the shown,but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a mechanism of the class described, a rotatable druma medium onsaid drum having reco-rdings of the various hours o-f the day foraudible announcement, said recordings extending circumferentially ofsaid drum; an exciter I lamprand a photocell cooperating with saidmedium for effecting audible announcement o-f the recordings thereon; amedium having thereon recordings of the various fractional parts of anhour and mounted on said drum and extended spirally thereof; an exciterlamp and a photocell cooperating with said second mentioned medium foreffecting audible announcement of the recordings thereon; means forrotating said drum; means for maintaining said first mentioned photocellin position relatively to said first mentioned medium for effectingaudible announcement of the recordings thereon relating to a single hourduring the audible announcement of all of the recordings on said secondmentioned medium; and means operable upon the rotation of said drum formoving said second mentionedphotocell axially of said drum andmaintaining the same in position relatively to said second mentionedmedium for effecting audible announcement of all of the recordingsthereon in a period of one hour of time.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, a rotatable drum; a medium onsaid drum having recordings of the various hours of the day for audibleannouncement, said recordings extending oircurnferentially of said drum;an exciter lamp and a photocell cooperating with said medium foreffecting audible announcement of the y recordings thereon; a mediumhaving thereon recordings of the various fractional parts of an hour andmounted on said drum and extended spirally thereof; an exciter lamp anda photocell cooperating with said second mentioned medium for effectingaudible announcement of the recordings thereon; means for rotating saiddrum; means for maintaining said rst mentioned photocell in positionrelatively to said rst mentiond medium for eiiecting audibleannouncement of the recordings thereon relating to a single hour duringthe audible announcement of all of the Vrecordings on said secondmentioned medium; means operable upon the rotation of said drum formoving said second mentioned photocell axially of said drum andmaintaining the same in position relatively to said second mentionedmedium for effecting audible announcement of all of the recordingsthereon in a period of one hour of time; and means operable uponexpiration of the set period of time for moving said rst mentionedexciter lamp and photocell into another position relatively to said rstmentioned medium.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, a rotatable drum; a medium onsaid drum adjacent one end having thereon, extending circumferentiallyof said drum, a plurality of recordings, each of the various hours ofthe day for audible announcement; an exciter lamp and a photosellcooperating With said medium for effecting announcement of therecordings thereon; a medium on said drum and directed spirally thereofand having thereon recordings of the various fractional parts of anhour; an exciter lamp and a photocell cooperating with said secondmentioned medium for effecting successive audible announcement of therecordings thereon upon the rotation of said drum; means for maintainingsaid rst mentioned photocell and exciter lamp in stationary positionduring the rotation of said drum; means for moving said second mentionedexciter lamp and photocell axially of said drum during rotation thereof;and means for rotating said drum.

4. A mechanism of the class described, comprising: a rotatable drum; amedium adjacent one end of said drum and having a plurality of axiallyspaced circumferentially extending recordings thereon, each adapted forthe audible announcement of an hour of the day; an exciter lamp and aphotocell cooperating with said medium for eiecting audible announcementof the recordings thereon; a supporting device for said exciter lamp; asupporting device for said photocell; means for maintaining saidsupporting devices stationary during the rotation of said drum; meansfor moving said supporting devices axially of said drum a distancecorresponding to the Width of one of said circumferentially directedrecordings upon the completion of a revolution of said drum; means forrotating said drum; a medium mounted on said drum and having thereonrecordings of the various fractional parts of an hour, said recordingsextending spirally of said drum; an exciter lamp and a photocellcooperating with said second mentioned medium for effecting audibleannouncement of the recordings thereon; axially directed guide means forsaid second named exciter lamp and said second named photocell; meansfor moving said second named exciter lamp and said second namedphotocell axially of said drum during rotation thereof; and means forreturning said second named exciter lamp and said second named photocellto initial position upon completion of a revolution by said drum.

EDWARD P. COSGROVE.

